Breaking the Pattern
by Lt. Basil
Summary: It's the first day of school, and three students are about to be sorted. Scorpius is scared; Albus is worried; and Rose is anxious. But do they even need to be? After all, the Sorting Hat doesn't make mistakes. Mild Rose/Scorpius if you squint.


**A/N: Hi everybody! Spent several hours writing this up today and I'm really happy with how it turned out. To be perfectly honest, I really love Albus, Scorpius and Rose. I don't know why. I just do. Also, I don't know if there are canonical houses that these guys end up in, so I'm just following my headcanon. Let's face it; Gryffindor gets too much attention and Slytherin too much hate in the books. So I'm switching things up. This story trades off between Scorpius', Albus', and Rose's points of view.**

**Review!**

_Part 1: Scorpius' POV_

"Malfoy, Scorpius!"

My legs feel like gelatin the moment that my name is called. Shaking violently, I climb to my feet and start forward. Hundreds of eyes are boring into me, making me feel sick to the stomach. Ducking my head, I creep down the aisle, afraid that I'll puke if I so much as glance at anybody else. Their judging eyes pin me down, turning my mouth into a barren desert and setting off a meat grinder in my stomach. It doesn't take a genius to see that these people hate me.

Every step I take is slow and laborious. My breath is rapid, my heartrate erratic, and my palms have turned into marshlands. Ahead, the stool containing the Sorting Hat seems kilometers away. I'm so scared that I think I'm going to faint dead away. All of my instincts are telling me to turn and run, but I keep moving forward for some unfathomable reason.

After what seems like _years,_ I arrive at the chair. Slowly, stiffly, with a sinking feeling in my gut, I take a seat. A moment later, the Sorting Hat is placed on my head, drooping down over my eyes and effectively shutting out the rest of the world. The moment I've been dreading all summer has finally arrived.

I'm scared. My cousin, Gemini Black, had started taunting me back in June about which House I might end up in. _Wimpy, like a Hufflepuff. As nerdy as a Ravenclaw. So stupidly reckless, I could be a Gryffindor. _"You're not good enough to make Slytherin," he'd cackled. "What'll your dad say when his kid is stuck in one of those loser Houses?"

Actually, I have nothing against the other Houses. My entire family practically _worships _Slytherin House, but frankly, I don't see what the big deal is. The Houses were all placed so that the students can be put in an environment that best suits them, right? Hogwarts school was founded to help young wizards like me succeed in life – each House is merely a tool to accomplish that goal. So why should I hate Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor when I look at things from _that _point of view? The way I see it, each House has its own strengths and weaknesses. None of them are superior.

If it wasn't for my fear of my father's opinion, I wouldn't care which House I was sorted into. As it is, I'm terrified.

_Hmm… _I hear the hat say. _Quite interesting. You're much more difficult to sort than your father was._

_Oh? _I ask, my stomach clenching up. _Well, that's nice to hear._

_Feisty, aren't you? _The hat asks, sounding amused. _Too much so to be a Hufflepuff. A good trait for a Slytherin, though. _My heart lifts a little at this. _You're awfully bright… perfect for a Ravenclaw. _The hat chuckles. _And you've got the guts of a Gryffindor, that's for sure. And… hmm, interesting._

My pulse quickens. _What? _I ask. _What is it?_

_You're wily, _the hat remarks. I smile. _But reckless. _My smile fades. _And downright stubborn. Blimey, Malfoy… you ARE a tough one to sort. Merlin's beard… I haven't had this much trouble sorting a student since Andromeda Black!_

I've heard of Andromeda Black. My grandmother calls her a blood traitor. Frankly, her rants about her get on my nerves.

_Slytherin House is known for its ruthless members, _the hat continues. I flinch. _But you… you could turn that around. With Gryffindor and Ravenclaw traits, you could transform that reputation. Yes. That will do nicely. With you at the lead, Slytherin can be forgiven._

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Sorting Hat is removed from my head. Climbing to my feet, I move numbly towards the Slytherin table. I can't even hear my new housemates cheering; the hat's last words are ringing in my ears. _With you at the lead, Slytherin can be forgiven._

I've gotten into Slytherin, true. But not for the reason I expected. And for some reason, the knowledge that I would do well in Ravenclaw or Gryffindor makes me feel oddly smug. _Dad would be furious if he knew that, _I think. But I don't care. Just the fact that it took so long for the hat to sort me is a feat for a Malfoy.

And you know what? I don't care what my father says. I'm going to tell him.

I will be the best Slytherin ever.

XXX

_Part 2: Albus' POV_

"Potter, Albus!"

To say that I'm nervous as I climb to my feet and move towards the front of the room in as understatement. I'm scared spitless. Hundreds of faces are turned towards me, hundreds of eyes watching in earnest as the second son of the _famous _Harry Potter goes up to be sorted. Anticipation is weighing heavily in the air, crackling like fire around me. I can practically _feel _the expectations of the crowd digging into my back, making me want to shy away and hide. Everyone is – and always will be – scrutinizing my every move. My father is a great man. My brother has already left a distinct impression on… well, everybody. The question is… will I be able to live up to my Potter name?

I know what they're thinking. _He's going to be a Gryffindor, _they'll say to each other. _Look at him. So much like his father already – yeah, he'll be our next Harry Potter, be sure about that. _They think that they know where I'll end up.

But I'm not so sure.

_Relax, _I tell myself, trying my hardest not to meet all of those expectant eyes. _You can choose Gryffindor over Slytherin if it comes to that, right? _I hope that Dad's right, that I can choose myself, that the Sorting Hat hasn't changed his methods. Most dark wizards come from Slytherin. Voldemort was a Slytherin. So were Bellatrix Lestrange, most of the Blacks, and all of the Malfoys – even that new boy, Scorpius is a Slytherin! _Severus Snape was also a Slytherin, _a voice in the back of my brain points out, much to my annoyance.

The closer I get to the stool, the more terrified I become. I don't know if I can do this. What if I _do _get Slytherin? _Then Slytherin House will have gained a fine young student, won't it? _I hear my father say in my head. Some of the tension in my gut releases. Not all, but at least I don't feel constipated anymore. Still… I'm not even _remotely _close to calm.

I reach the seat. I sit down and let the Sorting Hat be placed on my head. It drops down over my eyes and encompasses me in the blissful release of darkness.

_Another Potter boy, eh? _The hat pipes up, a cheerful lilt in his voice. A little more for my tension dissolves.

_Yes, _I reply. _I'm Albus._

_Hullo Albus, _the hat replies kindly. _Let's see… ah, now _here's _a familiar sight. Quite a bit like your dad, you are. _I frown a little bit at this. It annoys me when people compare me to my father. _Bit nicer though, _he adds wryly. _Almost nice enough to make Hufflepuff. _Hufflepuff? _That's _the first House suggestion that he throws at me? _But you're spirit's a bit too rough for that – Gryffindor might do you good. _My heart soars.

_Yes, please! _I respond eagerly.

_Hang on, I'm not finished yet! _The hat snaps, miffed. _Wait until I'm done evaluating you before you make requests! _I sigh.

_Right. Sorry._

_You're a bright one, too, _the hat continues. _You want to make a difference in the world, prove that you're more than just the son of Harry Potter. You've got the brain and spunk of a Slytherin. In fact, I'd say that that's the House you'd do best in. _I feel panic begin to build up in my chest.

_Please, not Slytherin! _I plead.

_No? _the hat asks, and I imagine him raising an eyebrow at me. _Perhaps you are more like your father than I thought. _I flinch. _Trust me, Albus. Slytherin will bring you farther than Gryffindor ever could. And you could bring _it _a long way as well._

I blink. _Really?_

_Yes. _A pause. _Any more objections? _I shake my head, forgetting that he can't see me. But he catches it anyway. _Alright, then. _"SLYTHERIN!"

The hall goes so quiet that I can hear the wind over the top of the castle battlements. Everyone is staring at me, looks of utter shock on every face. Pulling the hat off, I climb to my feet and stare at my hands. No one moves. No one speaks. And I want nothing more than to disappear into the floor.

Then someone near the middle of the room lets out a whoop. "Way to go, Al!" James hollers, grinning from ear to ear. "I you so, didn't I? CALLED IT!" And after that, James' friend Ralph Jordan instantly joins in my brother's over-the-top cheering.

A smattering of halfhearted applause springs up from the crowd. James' outburst seems to have roused them from their trance. Hiding my face, I make a beeline for the Slytherin table and sit down with a thump, wanting to melt into the shadows.

Someone taps me on the shoulder, and I look up. A gray-eyed, white-blonde-haired boy about my age is grinning at me. "Scorpius Malfoy," he says, extending his hand in greeting.

An alarm bell goes off in my head. _That's the kid Uncle Ron pointed out at the train station! _But he looks friendly enough… and I shouldn't estrange myself from the other students just because of old family rivalries. I shake his hand. "Albus Potter." Scorpius' grin widens.

"Welcome to Slytherin House."

XXX

_Part 3: Rose's POV_

"Weasley, Rose!"

I anyone asks, I am _not scared. _Anxious, yes. Nervous… okay, maybe just a little bit. But _not _scared. I know that my dad was joking when he said that he'd disown me if I don't get sorted into Gryffindor, but still… he might be disappointed. Not like I'll make Slytherin or anything, but still… my dad is really zealous for his House. I don't want to disappoint him.

People watch me closely as I move towards the stool. Most of them know who I am – my parents made the name "Weasley" pretty big back during the war. Plus, I've got more cousins at Hogwarts than I care to think about. So yeah – they know who I am. They probably figure that I'll end up in Gryffindor like most of my other relatives (minus Albus, of course). Still, I'm not about to rule anything out. I mean, look where Al was put.

I'm so relieved when the Sorting Hat is pulled down on my head. The darkness helps me take a few calming breaths and still my churning stomach. Hiding behind him, I can pull myself together without anyone seeing.

_You're different from the other Weasleys that I've sorted, _the hat remarks mildly. _You've got some of those Granger brains in you, eh Rose? Just like your mum. But you've got some of your dad's Weasley gut, too._

I bite my lip. _My dad wants me to get Gryffindor, _I tell him.

_Does he, now? _The hat questions. _You've certainly got the right spirit for it. Definitely strong enough. But is that what _you _want? _I sigh, wringing my hands.

_I want to go where I'll do the best, _I admit. _It doesn't have to be Gryffindor._

_Well, your brains are a lot more… pronounced than your brawn, _the hat remarks. _It's easy to see where you belong. _"RAVENCLAW!"

The applause is polite but suppressed – everyone is surprised that neither of this year's Potter/Weasley kids made it into Gryffindor. It must be a first. Still, I'm not upset; my dad might be disappointed, but I guess I can deal with that. If Ravenclaw's where I belong, then who am I to argue?

I take my seat at the Ravenclaw table, right next to a platinum-blonde-haired girl with distant blue eyes. She gives me an odd, sort of dreamy smile, and hesitantly, I return it, unnerved. Who is this kid?

Still, I'm ready for the adventure. I have a feeling that this is going to be a good year.

As we file out of the Great Hall, I catch sight of Al walking with the other Slytherins. He's in a deep conversation with that Malfoy kid, so he hasn't noticed me yet. Malfoy says something, and Al rolls his eyes and chuckles a little, shaking his head. Then he catches sight of me. Tapping his companion on the shoulder, he gestures in my direction. Malfoy's eyes widen. Smirking, I wave at them both, and Al grins and waves back. Malfoy offers me a hesitant smile.

Yep. This is going to be a _great _year.

**That blonde-haired Ravenclaw that Rose sits next to? That's Luna and Rolf's daughter, Mona. And Ralph Jordan is Lee Jordan's son. These characters don't actually exist in the canon universe – they're OCs that I created for fun. Ralph is pretty much like his dad, and Mona's mostly like her mom, but a little less spacey. And I had to add that hint of Rose/Scorpius at the end XD I just love those two together.**


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